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Sensory Overload - The Grocery Store and Autism

I'll be completely honest, I've come really close to tears while shopping before. First it was just a rough week, second I really dislike shopping (any kind of shopping, if I had a wish, I'd wish for a personal shopper), and third after shopping for about an hour and half and with groceries for home and groceries for my class I had half of my stuff on the conveyor belt and realized I didn't have my wallet. AAAAHHHH!!! That's what I wanted to scream, and I kind of wanted to lay on the ground and scream (until I thought about the floors at the store, and then I really didn't want to touch them.)

For some kids with autism or other developmental disabilities or really any kid (or adult), shopping is not a pleasant experience. I'll focus on ways to help enhance the experience in another post, but for today I want to focus on why grocery stores can cause sensory overload. Just a list of things to think about, it won't apply to all kids, but you'll know if it applies to your kid.

Grocery Carts

Cold

Hard

Uncomfortable

Child is facing the wrong direction (if child is sensitive to movement, this could cause issues)

Visual Stimuli

Fluorescent Lights

Some kids are very sensitive to the flickering of these kind of lights

Stuff everywhere

Visual overload can equal chaos

Things out of order-for the orderly child = problem

Lots of fun stuff...that he/she can NOT have...but he/she WANTS!

Depending on the floors, there may be lines that need to be followed, or patterns that should be followed. You know, the rules they know, but we don't.

People everywhere-and sometimes they come and get in the child's face to say how cute they are, or they pat them on the head.

Smell

Think of the mixture of smells in this place

Foods

Perfumes

Odors

Auditory

Lights buzzing

Freezers humming

Footsteps from every direction

Phones ringing

Adults talking on phones

Children crying

Cash registers beeping

Conveyor belts going and stopping

The butcher's machines slicing

Squeaky grocery cart wheels

Time

Sometimes the amount of time required in a grocery store is just too long! That's how I feel anyway.

Waiting in lines

Boring

Lots of temptations around that you're not supposed to touch

People standing too close

Attention

Parents attention is not focused on the child, but on the shopping (so it can get done as quickly as possible.)

I'll be completely honest, I've come really close to tears while shopping before. First it was just a rough week, second I really dislike shopping (any kind of shopping, if I had a wish, I'd wish for a personal shopper), and third after shopping for about an hour and half and with groceries for home and groceries for my class I had half of my stuff on the conveyor belt and realized I didn't have my wallet. AAAAHHHH!!! That's what I wanted to scream, and I kind of wanted to lay on the ground and scream (until I thought about the floors at the store, and then I really didn't want to touch them.)

For some kids with autism or other developmental disabilities or really any kid (or adult), shopping is not a pleasant experience. I'll focus on ways to help enhance the experience in another post, but for today I want to focus on why grocery stores can cause sensory overload. Just a list of things to think about, it won't apply to all kids, but you'll know if it applies to your kid.

Grocery Carts

Cold

Hard

Uncomfortable

Child is facing the wrong direction (if child is sensitive to movement, this could cause issues)

Visual Stimuli

Fluorescent Lights

Some kids are very sensitive to the flickering of these kind of lights

Stuff everywhere

Visual overload can equal chaos

Things out of order-for the orderly child = problem

Lots of fun stuff...that he/she can NOT have...but he/she WANTS!

Depending on the floors, there may be lines that need to be followed, or patterns that should be followed. You know, the rules they know, but we don't.

People everywhere-and sometimes they come and get in the child's face to say how cute they are, or they pat them on the head.

Smell

Think of the mixture of smells in this place

Foods

Perfumes

Odors

Auditory

Lights buzzing

Freezers humming

Footsteps from every direction

Phones ringing

Adults talking on phones

Children crying

Cash registers beeping

Conveyor belts going and stopping

The butcher's machines slicing

Squeaky grocery cart wheels

Time

Sometimes the amount of time required in a grocery store is just too long! That's how I feel anyway.

Waiting in lines

Boring

Lots of temptations around that you're not supposed to touch

People standing too close

Attention

Parents attention is not focused on the child, but on the shopping (so it can get done as quickly as possible.)